UAE Clarifies Rules for Foreign Residents Sponsoring Children and Retirement Visas

• The UAE government released official guidance on how foreign residents with valid permits can sponsor their children
• Unmarried daughters can be sponsored at any age, but sponsorship for sons comes with specific age restrictions
• The government also outlined strict criteria that foreigners must meet to qualify for a retirement residence permit in the UAE

The United Arab Emirates (UAE has published official guidance outlining what foreign nationals holding valid residence permits must know before they can sponsor family members, particularly their children.

According to the UAE government's directives, expatriate residents are allowed to sponsor their unmarried daughters regardless of age.

Sons, however, fall under a different set of rules; standard sponsorship for male dependants is only permitted up to the age of 18.

UAE makes educational exception for sons over 18

The UAE government has carved out a specific exemption for sons who turn 18 while still in school.

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Male dependants above that age may remain under parental sponsorship if they are enrolled full-time at a recognised educational institution within the UAE.

Sponsors must submit supporting documentation to immigration authorities to qualify for this continued arrangement.

The official statement from the UAE government read:

"An expatriate resident can sponsor unmarried daughters up to any age and sons up to 18 years. If a son is studying in the UAE after the age of 18, the father can continue to sponsor him if evidence of their studies in the UAE is supplied."

UAE retirement residency requirements

The UAE also clarified the conditions under which foreign nationals can apply for a retirement residence permit in the country.

Applicants must be at least 55 years of age or must have completed a minimum of 15 years in active employment before retiring.

Both conditions are designed to ensure that prospective retirees meet a baseline of financial and professional stability before settling in the Gulf nation on a long-term basis.

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The updated guidance is particularly relevant to the large expatriate population living and working across the UAE, many of whom have families either already residing in the country or seeking to join them.

UAE publishes list of available work permits

In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the UAE government had officially published a comprehensive breakdown of all work permit categories available to foreign nationals.

The list covered 13 distinct permit types, ranging from freelance and part-time permits to golden visa holder and juvenile work permits.

Foreign nationals were advised to identify the correct permit category before starting the application process.

Source: YEN.com.gh